21.6.4  Monitoring cotrimoxazole prophylaxis

As already mentioned, cotrimoxazole prophylaxis is prescribed by health workers at the health centre or regional hospital. You are not expected to prescribe the drug, but once these patients are referred back to the community you should make sure they are taking their drugs correctly. As a standard, you will need to follow-up patients on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis every month for the first three months. Later, if no problems occur and if the patient takes the drugs correctly, the follow-up can be done every three months.

Follow-up visits from you should include monitoring for side-effects, and education of the patient on the importance of taking the drugs correctly (this will be further explained in Study Session 23).